


Stay of Execution

by Jathis



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Grumpy Old Men, Humor, Javert Lives, M/M, Marriage, Post-Seine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22854256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis
Summary: There is an old law that says the condemned can be spared if someone marries them on their execution day
Relationships: Javert/Jean Valjean
Comments: 7
Kudos: 85





	Stay of Execution

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this post on Tumblr
> 
> https://jathis.tumblr.com/post/190973516949/god-dammit

There were only so many times a man could escape punishment for his past crimes. The Bishop had given Jean one after the stolen silver. The royal pardon that changed his execution to a green cap in Toulon was the second after he stepped up to defend Champmathieu. His fall and believed death from the Orion into the sea was the third.

Three was a holy number. It also appeared to be the number of times Jean Valjean could escape Madame Guillotine and her kiss. The white haired man was named and arrested by a former guard of Toulon after Sunday Mass and sentenced to die Tuesday afternoon.

Javert’s cravat was already loose around his neck as he pushed his way through the crowd that had formed to see the old convict die. He had been digging through the archives without sleeping or eating since Valjean’s arrest and only now he had come out, an old paper shoved haphazardly into his pocket.

He kept his eyes focused firmly on the figure up on the scaffold, willing his hands to stop shaking as he worked on undoing the knot of his cravat. He watched as that head covered in soft white bowed, whispering into the ear of a priest standing beside him. He cursed softly under his breath as a finger got stuck, muttering to himself about needing to stop tying his cravats so tightly after this. 

His tall form and grim expression were enough to make most of the crowd part for him, the people looking at the police inspector in confusion. Was he not happy about these events? Had there not been whispers for years about Javert and his hunt for the man called Valjean?

Javert was at the foot of the steps when Valjean was taken by the elbow and pulled away from the priest. He pushed past the young officers that had been meant to guard them, sharp eyes daring them to say anything on his way up. He clutched his cravat in his left hand, ripping his hat off with his right.

“Stop!” he shouted once he was at the top. He lunged forward before anyone could protest, firmly placing his hat on Valjean’s head. The hat slid down the smaller man’s white curls, covering his eyes. He threw the cravat around Valjean’s neck next, pulling the stunned and still bound man to him and kissing him deeply in front of a stunned audience. 

“Javert..?” Jean breathed once their lips parted. The hat was tipped back to allow him to see again and he stared at Javert with wide eyes. “What are you..?”

“You drive me to do the most insane things, Valjean. I shall never forgive you for it,” Javert hissed at him. He stood up straight, coughing as he took a moment to smooth out his coat before turning to the executioner and assembled party. “I take this man as my husband,” he loudly declared, “he is coming home with me.” He produced the paper from his pocket and gave it to the priest, showing that such a stay of execution had never been  _ officially _ ended and was therefore something that could still be performed.

He grabbed Valjean by the elbow and pulled him down the steps before anyone could say anything. “Let’s go…”

“Could you at least let them take off the chains?” Jean asked, laughing helplessly as he tripped after him.

Javert made a show of considering this request as he kept marching forward, the crowd parting for the pair once again. “Non,” he finally said.

Jean just sighed, “I was hoping our wedding could have been a more romantic affair,” he said.

“And whose fault is it that it’s not?!” Javert hissed. He pointed an accusing finger in Jean’s face, narrowing his eyes in warning. “You’re paying for the honeymoon,” he firmly said.

“Whatever you say, Monsieur Valjean.”

“Non! None of that! You will be Jean Javert if anything!”

The two old men argued about their new surname the entire way home, ignoring everyone else around them.


End file.
